David, that man of great faith (Hebrews 11:32) and man with a heart like God’s (1 Samuel 13:14), is such a great example for us in many ways. And, with that in mind, notice what he says in Psalm 101: “I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.” In short, David said that he would have no association with wickedness, but that he would praise his God in wise and righteous living.
Every single day, we are bombarded with thousands of invitations to engage in wickedness in one form or another. This is especially the case when we turn on the television or surf the internet or go to the movies or even open a magazine. How many commercials use lust to “recommend” their product to you (1 John 2:15-17)? How many movies or television shows or popular songs say nothing against fornication be it pre-marital, extra-marital, or homosexual (Hebrews 13:4)? How many of them actually condone and endorse those things (Romans 1:28-32)? How many popular songs throughout the ages encourage drinking and drunkenness (1 Peter 4:1-6)? How many popular songs encourage youthful rebellion (Hebrews 3:15)? How many television shows, movies, songs, and so on use foul language for dramatic or comedic effect (Ephesians 4:29)? How many dirty jokes are found littered throughout all of it (Ephesians 5:1-6)? We don’t know the answer to these questions because the truth of the matter is that the number is almost too high to count. There is so much wickedness that Satan is purposefully setting before our eyes (2 Timothy 2:24-26; 1 Peter 5:8).
It is with all of this in mind that I offer to you, those who wish to be in Heaven with the Lord when this existence is no more, three passages for consideration.
In First Thessalonians 5:21-22, Paul says this: “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” Also, in Colossians 3:1-2, Paul says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things of the earth.” And, finally, in Ephesians 2:10, Paul informs us that “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
When we consider that we are commanded to not have any association with anything that even has the appearance of evil, and consider that we need to rather let our minds dwell on the holy and high things of God, AND consider the work God has for us to do, how can we NOT say what David said? How can we NOT say of ourselves: “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes... I will not know wickedness”? How can we NOT say of ourselves: “I will behave wisely in a perfect way... with a perfect heart”?
There are so many things trying to influence us for evil and trying to distract us from doing good. If we ever do look on them, then let it be for the purpose of seeing the vanity and foolishness of those things. But, even better than that, let us not even bother with those things. Rather, let us always be all about the Lord and His things to His everlasting glory (Matthew 6:33; Psalm 41:13).
~Curtis Carwile
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